Search - Zatoichi 22 - Zatoichi Meets the One Armed Swordsman on DVD

A great classic

M. Allen | Seattle, Wa United States | 06/02/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is also my second Zatoichi movie, my first was the last movie he made before his death. I have to say that I didn't know what to expect even though I really liked his last movie as Zatoichi. Fortunatly this movie is great and something I enjoyed from begining to end. In a way I'm a bit concerned that this may be his best movie so I'm a bit reluctant to buy more of his films. If you're a first timer to Zatoichi then buy this movie because it's a good one."

"If only we could have understood each other"

morgoth | omaha, NE | 03/27/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is your average tale from the Zatoichi series, except that Zatoichi befriends a Chinese man. After 2 highly successful movies with Jimmy Wang Yu playing the One-Armed Swordsman, he dares to take on this role in a Japanese movie with the one and only Zatoichi.

Wang Yu tries to protect a couple he has just met, and they end up dying at the hands of samurai upholding one of the Shogunate's stupid laws. He gets framed for all the killings the samurai did because he is Chinese. Talk about wrong place at the wrong time. Now he is on the run and has to keep on hiding with the couple's child while eliminating anyone who comes after him. Zatoichi looks to help the one-armed man in his crisis, but language barriers pose a big problem for the 2.

The action is good, just like all Zatoichi movies. This is only the 5th Zatoichi movie I have seen, 6 including Beat Takeshi's, and the action is BY FAR the best, at least from what I have seen. Part 6 is how far I had gotten in the series so far, and I was expecting the action to have at least minor improvements since I am jumping from part 6 to part 22, but I did not expect the action to be this good. The undercranking is used effectively, and Katsu Shintaro looks more deadly than ever. Jimmy Wang Yu is also very good, but this movie really shows how awesome Shintaro looks in comparison. Definitely one of Wang Yu's best fighting performances, but Shintaro's movements are truly lightning fast. Acting is the only area where they could be compared, and both are magnificent.

This is a Zatoichi movie, not a Jimmy Wang Yu movie. It seems like an average entry into the series, but Wang Yu is brilliant in his role, and may be the best character Zatoichi ever encountered. The cast includes a few other intriguing characters. A Yakuza boss that causes trouble, a prostitute, all of that stuff, but one guy to look out for is another blind gambler named Henoichi.

Expect great storytelling and acting, intense and graphic violence, some emotional and comedic moments, and a thrilling final battle. A masterpiece in every way.

5/5

The DVD from Animego has superb picture quality presented in widescreen. The picture is a tad grainy at times, but cleaned up remarkably. Like many DVD's from Animego, the notes provided give tons of information relating to Japanese myths and other things that come up in the film. I have heard there is a Chinese and a Japanese ending, but sadly the other ending is not included on the DVD. I can guess how the other version ends, but I still have to see it some day."